Right Brain thinking and Embracing Risk of Failure

Started by Elantric, November 12, 2013, 10:21:48 AM

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cooltouch

Quote from: LukeB on November 18, 2013, 06:22:46 PM
Great music Mike. I think I like the Tears CD best. More guitar in it.  ;D

Thanks, Luke. Glad you liked it. The Hyperion CD has guitar on it also, but only on one tune.  The flute part in Mended Dreams is actually my Strat running through a GR-33.
Best,
Michael

LukeB

Yes, you did a great job on both CD's

It's interesting that just yesterday I was using my Nektar P4 MIDI keyboard along with Reason 7 DAW to record some Oboe and Flute parts to Art Garfunkel's "Bright Eyes" and try as hard as I could, I could not get a good naturally flowing Flute sound out of it.
I'm sure that with a lot of adjustment and effort I probably could have, but I just turned to my GR55 and it was just right.

I'm just amazed how natural the GR55 wind instrument sounds can be. Although some of the pre-sets are just shockers, I just love the GR55. 8)

Cheers,
Luke


cooltouch

#27
Hey Luke,

That's very interesting -- your GR55 results.  On Mended Dreams, I don't recall now if I was using a flute patch from my GR-33 or if I was using it as a controller and getting the flute from another synth. If that's what I was doing, the synth was most likely my Roland JV1010, a decent little unit. But my situation roughly paralleled yours. I had scored out a part for the flute and was having a problem getting nuances the way I wanted them. Finally, out of a bit of frustration, I just played through the part with my GR-33, and that nailed it.

But I can tell you this -- on all of my wind instrument parts, I had to get down to bare metal, so to speak -- calling up the MIDI event list to code in legato (slurs) and vibrato in certain parts. This really helped make it sound more realistic. Hmm -- now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure that any hammers on and pull offs while using my GR were translated as legato, but I'm not sure -- haven't thought about it much, I guess. There are parts that I just coded by hand -- scored out on a virtual page -- where I did have to make rather heavy use of the event list, however. Most notable is the harmonica on Thankful for What I Have. That one is 100% MIDI. No GR on that part. Although the 12-string is GR.
Best,
Michael

Elantric

#28
I recently stumbled on a recent video by Buzz Feiten -

Its outtakes from his funk guitar DVD - but fits in with my 1st post of this thread, regarding the concept of being fearless on guitar and reaching beyond normalcy


Toby Krebs

That guy is a f%$#in' bad a$$!!! Textbook use of extensions /bass lines/ and alt. chords(7ths-9ths-13ths and flat 9ths and fifths). I have played this stuff since Tower Of Powers first album came out-played this style with JR Robinson -played it with the white guys and the soul brothers and I am pretty good at it but I will never be that good at it. What a great video of a master with no fear working this stuff out!! LOVE IT!!!

Elantric

Back in the early 1980's I was deeply involved with servicing the gear for Mr Feiten, and Paul Jackson JR.
https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/index.php?topic=82.0


I'm extremely happy to see both of these masters on YouTube, as its these sort of excursions i used to witness live in person 30 years ago.
Today with Youtube, its much easier than the old days of playing my vinyl LPs' at 16 rpm to learn these riffs! 


Toby Krebs

Holy Crap! Mr. Jackson is so good it's ridiculous! I fully appreciate guys like this as I have made a good deal of my living being a "complimentary" player as opposed to just a lead/soloist guy. I love playing behind a good soloist or vocalist. If you look at a lot of modern players in bands these days they have no idea how to do this stuff. Prince may be one of the last high profile players who can still "play da' funky dunky" and play it correctly with conviction. I don't know how I feel about that LOL!

Thanks Again for both of these vids! Everyone should watch these no matter what style they are chasing.

cooltouch

#32
Quote from: Elantric on December 06, 2013, 09:55:32 AM
Today with Youtube, its much easier than the old days of playing my vinyl LPs' at 16 rpm to learn these riffs! 

Heard that! I recall using this technique more than once when I, as a kid, was working out some of Clapton's hot licks.

My favorite quote from this video of Paul Jackson, after he's played through that progression a 2nd time, adding the alterations, is "Just like that." He makes it look so simple, doesn't he? I've always felt that the true mark of a virtuoso is being able to make the difficult appear to be simple.  He's so smooth when he plays.

And what can a person say about Buzz Feiten?  Geez, what a powerhouse. And the guy looks to be in his 70s. Man, I hope I still have that much energy when I'm his age.  ::)

Here's another old timer whose still got it. I ran across a YouTube link, called "Bill Kirchen, King of Dieselbilly, talks Tele" over at the Tele guitar's website. And as I am wont to do at YouTube, I can't just watch one video. Kirchen intrigued me, especially when I learned he was one of the founding members of Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen. Their big hit in 1972 was "Hot Rod Lincoln." Here's Bill and his band playing it again. He's added to it a bit, so don't quit out on this video after a couple minutes. You really need to stick it out till you get to the middle section.



One of the cool things about Bill that I've learned is -- well, he's played at big venues and small ones. The video above is a fairly big venue. But Bill likes doing clubs and small festivals as well. He enjoys the intimacy the small venues have that the big ones just can't match.

By my math, Bill was 70 years old when he played the above gig. I suspect that, to Bill, age is just another number.

Best,
Michael

Elantric

#33
QuoteAnd what can a person say about Buzz Feiten?  Geez, what a powerhouse. And the guy looks to be in his 70s. Man, I hope I still have that much energy when I'm his age.  ::)

Here's another old timer whose still got it. I ran across a YouTube link, called "Bill Kirchen, King of Dieselbilly, talks Tele" over at the Tele guitar's website. And as I am wont to do at YouTube, I can't just watch one video. Kirchen intrigued me, especially when I learned he was one of the founding members of Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen. Their big hit in 1972 was "Hot Rod Lincoln."
(this one is a must see video which reveals lots of important Tele Guitar Trick licks)







More

Junior Brown

(which IMHO sums up " fearless guitar playing and reaching a few steps beyond" )

mbenigni

Without the introduction, I would have sworn that was Woody Allen wearing a telecaster.  :D

Toby Krebs


cooltouch

In that "King of Dieselbilly" video, I especially like the part where Bill shows how he reverses the controls on all his Teles. And you know what? It makes great sense. I don't own one yet, but I will one day soon, and one of the first things I'll do with that guitar will be the "Kirchen Mod."
Best,
Michael

Bryan Michael

I kinda have a love-hate relationship with Dave Grohl and his rock-n-roll gospel.
I'm not sure a lot of kids are looking at American Idol and thinking, "That's how I become a MUSICIAN."  Those shows are promoting becoming, well, a pop singer, and nothing more.
Are pop singers "musicians"?  Sure.  But I don't think too many people that are instrumentalists (guitarists, bassists, drummers) are even considering a show like "American Idol" as an option for a way forward in their pursuits - maybe some vocalists are, but some kid that wants to play drums in a rock band is probably not really thinking about American Idol.  Personally, I find those shows pretty harmless - and the judges provide good advice for those that want to be pop entertainers - the biggest one being that you have to work at it, it isn't always about "believing in yourself" and all that rainbow fantasy, but that you have to work hard at it...and even then, the public, the record company, and everyone else just might not buy into your act. 

If you want to be an "artist" - then just create.  Let no one stop you if it fulfills you- and if you are just "doing it for yourself" - then. CONGRATULATIONS!  You've found your audience.
BUT if you want to expand that success, or build a career, you are probably going to have to start working within some parameters, and start partnering with people that have the money to get you where you want to go professionally.

DreamTheory

Quote from: cooltouch on November 17, 2013, 10:42:12 AM
I don't know how others' right brains work, but my right brain does not concern itself with "failure."

Well said.

When I go into my own subjectivity it is like time is not passing, and even if I feel sad or down that can be part of the expression. My sense of being is submerged in the form, in this case music. It is a personally powerful sort of relief, the opposite of the dehumanizing experiences of careless modernity (traffic jams, fast food, automated greeting systems etc.). I call it dezombification.

There seems to be a connection with my values. After I have been in touch with that subjectivity, I generally behave like the person I want to be - patient, wise, appreciative, loving, accepting, peaceable. When I don't play I am cranky. So the subjectivity of music is an expression of the whole person. For religious people, this should ring some bells, but you don't have to be religious to get this.

I play my best in that subjective space, making connections like lightning that I could not make on my best day of trying hard. I also write my best, getting out things that need to come out, speaking truths of which I was not aware.

However...

For music to be "good" beyond these benefits, it has to be communicated or at least communicable (even a home recording that is not shared, like a tree that falls in the forest, still makes a sound). Here is the critical point: I may be feeling all these raptures, but if they do not (or could not) successfully draw others in, then, while it may be personally very beneficial, I have to admit it is not "good" music. Technique is what communicates within the culturally defined medium. The good news is that this same technical aspect is also what I am using to enchant myself, so there is a good deal of overlap between what is working for me and what will likely to reach others.

Let me say as a caveat that just because nobody likes it, does not mean it is not good. They could all be wrong! Certainly "what sells" or "what you can get paid to do" is not what I am suggesting is a measure of music successfully communicating.

When I watched it, American Idol seemed to be more about singing technique and having a star presence. I have to agree with the judges that bad pitch and so on are unacceptable. But what I dislike about the show is that is all about nailing the industry standard for a ticket selling performer, backed by the conservative (as in non-risk taking) big money that panders to (and wants to control) the common denominator. It is almost anti-art.

Usually my creative urges are a spluttery mix of brilliance and mush, explorations and discoveries. Let's not say "good or bad" but rather hit and miss. That has to be sorted out before I can share the song. And then once the song is structured, there is almost a reenactment of the discovery. Soloing keeps it fresh. Recordings that capture that emerging expression never get stale.

So what is success for me is a unity between how I feel and what I am able to express. Playing live to an audience, which emphasizes the link between the performer and the listener, is almost another art form layered on top of the music itself. In a studio environment, especially when multitracking, that layer is subdued, but not completely removed, because ultimately there is at least a hypothetical person who will listen to the recording.

My lifestyle and choices about use of time do not allow for gigging or even a garage band, but I do play with friends in person and via internet collaboration. Generally, it is satisfying and challenging enough for me to work on finding those expressions that matter and trying to get them recorded effectively.

Since this is a GR 55 page, I would like to comment that GR 55 plays different roles in my process. A special patch can evoke all sorts of expressions. The high quality tones pretty much "take me to the gates" as the saying goes. To be honest the glitchiness of PCM has also totally destroyed many sessions. After the initial bout of inspired creation, GR 55 serves as an invaluable tool for developing the setting for the ideas (production). I think that having a real session player is better than faking it on GR 55, but GR 55 at the very least lets me work out the kinks and gives the session player a good idea of what I had in mind.  And in some cases what I can do on GR 55 is perfectly adequate for the piece and I do not need session players at all.

electric: Epiphone Dot semihollow body, acoustic: mahogany jumbo, recording: Cubase Artist 11 or Tascam DP008

Toby Krebs

I lost IQ points watching American Idol and The Voice. Dragging my knuckles and eating bananas after each episode. A practice session or gig with my trio brought my intellect back every time fortunately. My only problem with any of it is that a lot( not all) of young folks will watch that stuff and think that that is all music has to offer. That is what has fundamentally changed here in the US regarding music.It is all factionalized/ divided/ marketed etc...



"You gotta keep 'em separated"

Frankster

Grohl is right, a lot of young people do seem to equate the desire to make music with the desire to be famous. And they see people becoming "famous" on tv talent shows. And they assume that this fame is something worthwhile.

I'm really not sure how I would have progressed in music had I started playing with the gear available in 2015. Certainly I would have been able to afford a synthesizer, I spent as much time in the 1970s drooling over unattainable Moog Modulars as I did over almost unattainable Fender Stratocasters. Or maybe I'd have just bought a games console and wasted my entire life. Who knows.

addseo1115

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addseo1115


Elantric

#43




1000 musicians play Learn to Fly by Foo Fighters to ask Dave Grohl to come and play in Cesena, Italy
1000 musicisti suonano Learn to Fly dei Foo Fighters per chiedere a Dave Grohl di venire a suonare a Cesena
Directed by Anita Rivaroli and Alberto Viavattene

Elantric